Examples

Practical Work

These wader scrapes were constructed in Strathspey to encourage farmland waders such as lapwings and redshank back to the area to breed. Scrapes provide suitable wet areas within grassland providing important insect-rich feeding areas for adults and chicks. They are shallow depressions that are constructed in fields to benefit wading birds and are designed so that they hold water for only part of the year. These scrapes were excavated using a digger reducing the level of the lower areas and spreading the spoil away from the areas ensuring the scrapes consisted of bare mud and soil to allow the feeding conditions. The minimum area of a scrape should be 20 square metres although larger scrapes are preferable.

Working Together

Following successful growth of farmer clusters in England (www.farmerclusters.com ), the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has helped to establish similar groups in Scotland. Working together, farmers and land managers can deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at landscape scale. This involves developing a plan, taking action and recording evidence of the results. It’s no surprise that wading birds feature prominently amongst the species that the farmer clusters choose to look after in Scotland.

If you have a passion for wading birds, The Small Grants Scheme could help provide the seedcorn funding to get a farmer cluster up and running in your area.

Sharing Knowledge

Working for Waders has run events in conjunction with a range of partners over the last two years. These have focussed on encouraging farmers and land managers to engage with wader conservation in practical terms, and topics of discussion have ranged from predator control to wader scrapes and the role of livestock in grassland management. The events generated good interest and participation, and they frequently lead to active changes on the ground for wading birds. If you would like to hold a discussion event or farm visit in your area, the Small Grants Scheme may be able to help you!